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Dog Drags Her Owner From a Burning Van

A woman paralyzed from the waist down and unable to get out of her van after it caught fire was dragged to safety this week by her 104-pound dog. The woman, Kathie Vaughn, was unharmed but her dog suffered burns on the pads of her paws.

Ms. Vaughn, 41 years old, of Indianapolis, said she was driving to Atlanta for an antique show on Wednesday when she heard a pop and smelled smoke. When she stopped, she saw smoke coming from the engine compartment of the van she had bought that day.

When she was unable to get her disassembled wheelchair together because of the smoke, Ms. Vaughn said, Eve grabbed her by the leg and pulled her out, dragging her about 20 feet into a ditch.

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A version of this article appears in print on December 14, 1991, on Page 1001009 of the National edition with the headline: Dog Drags Her Owner From a Burning Van. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe